Schmap Montreal Historical Background

Our apologies: your internet browser is not yet fully supported by our Schmap online guides. If you continue, pages in this guide may display or function incorrectly.

Would you like to continue anyway?

Schmap.com supports the following browsers:

Internet Explorer 6 and above
Firefox 1.5 and above
Safari 3 for Pc

MAC

Safari version 1.3 and above
Firefox 2 and above

Montreal - Historical Background
Download the Schmap Montreal Guide
With Schmap 2.0 you can:

Browse this Schmap Guide on your PC, online or offline.
View Schmap Guides for 200 worldwide destinations.
Bookmark places of interest, plan trips and take virtual tours.
Custom print your own full-color travel guides.
Publish and share schmapplets with your favorite places
Enjoy many more unique Schmap features.

Montreal Home
Schmap Montreal guide and map

Although Montreal's history goes back long before Jacques Cartier "discovered" the island in 1535, the intrepid explorer can certainly lay claim to being the first European to see it from the top of Mount Royal, the city's centrally located mountain park.

Amerindians referred to these grounds as "Hochelaga," and used the island as a meeting place where tribes could discuss trade and other important matters. The official founding date for Ville-Marie (later to become Montréal in honor of the King of France) is May 18, 1642, at which time Jeanne Mance and Paul de Chomedey Sieur de Maisonneuve came ashore with about 40 colonists and proceeded to drive out the Iroquois.

Nouvelle France

The buzzing colony, known as Nouvelle France, became a major jumping-off point for fur traders, explorers and settlers who wanted to venture further inland towards the Great Lakes and down into the Mississippi Valley. In 1760, Montreal had a mostly French population of about 4,000. The architecture of this period can be seen in buildings such as the Sulpician Seminary (Vieux Séminaire Saint-Sulpice) and Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours Chapel.

The Seven Years War

The second event that would eventually shape modern Montreal happened in 1763 when, following the British victory in the Seven Years War, France was forced to relinquish its North American territories.

British Rule

Under British rule, Montreal became an important port (the largest inland port in the world, in fact) as well as Canada's largest city and commercial hub. It was home to Canada's first banks, mercantile houses and fur-trading companies, all of which centered around St-Jacques Street (Saint James Street to the British) in what is now Old Montreal (Vieux-Montréal). You can get a good look at buildings still standing from this era, including the Bank of Montreal.

Population Soars

Between 1800 and 1 850, the city experienced a population explosion, increasing from around 9,000 up to 57,000. For five years, between 1844 and 1849, the city even served as Canada's capital, until a rampaging crowd burned down the buildings that housed the legislature. The mid-19th century saw the city expand into manufacturing and heavy industry, and Montreal became Canada's railway hub. A flood of job opportunities drew both immigrants from overseas and rural Quebecers, and the population continued to soar, reaching half a million by 1911.

By that time, the city's Golden Square Mile area—Atwater to the west, Parc to the east, Mount Royal to the north and René Lévesque to the south—contained some 70 percent of all Canada's wealth. Huge properties such as the 60-room Ravenscrag Mansion on Avenue des Pins West were commonplace.

An International City

It was also around this time that non-British immigration brought in the third wave of Montreal's development. European Jews, Italians and Greeks joined Irish and Scottish immigrants to make the city a much more cosmopolitan place.

Waning Influence

Shortly after World War II, Montreal began a slow, steady decline in influence and power as the Canadian economy looked southward to the U.S. and away from a weakening Great Britain. Corporate headquarters migrated to Toronto, which began to receive the bulk of new investment.

"Down the 401"

The shift was accelerated by two factors: the building of the St-Lawrence Seaway, which allowed ships direct access to the Great Lakes, and the revival of Quebec nationalism, which started with the so-called Quiet Revolution in the 1960s and culminated in the election of a separatist government in the late 1970s. This led to a further exodus "down the 401," referring to the highway between Montreal and Toronto.

Head Held High

Despite these woes, however, Montreal managed to hold its head high through the 1960s and 1970s thanks to its tenacious mayor, Jean Drapeau. A man with grandiose visions, Drapeau orchestrated the building of the city's subway system (the Metro) in 1966, snagged the prestigious Expo 67 international exhibition, and then sold the city as the site for the even more illustrious 1976 Summer Olympics.

While Montreal may have relinquished the honor of being Canada's largest and most economically influential metropolis, it still relishes its role as the nation's most spirited and international city, in addition to being the French gastronomic center of North America and a place where historical strands join to create a potent mix of pride, art and culture.

Copyright 1999-2005 Wcities, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Contact Wcities

Bank of Montreal Building

Imposing facade

119 St-Jacques Street W
(Near St-Sulpice)
Montreal, QC H2Y 1L6
Canada
+1 514 877 6892

Established in 1817 and set up on St-Jacques Street in 1819, this bank is the oldest in Canada. This location, for years its head office, features an imposing façade designed by British architect John Wells in 1847, and modelled on Romanesque structures. The bank's interior is remarkable for its vaulted-roof lobby and four bas-reliefs. The overall effect is lavish and spectacular. It represents symbols of an age gone by, when successful corporations would signal their prosperity, stability and importance by creating ornate cut stone and sculptures. The lobby is free to explore.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Bank of Montreal Building photo by Kourosh Odouli

Photo: Kourosh Odouli

Bank of Montreal Building photo by Bob Hare

Photo: Bob Hare

Bank of Montreal Building photo by Jennifer Vandersteen

Photo: Jennifer Vandersteen

Bank of Montreal Building photo by J.L. Trinh

Photo: J.L. Trinh

Bank of Montreal Building photo by Jason Montgomery

Photo: Jason Montgomery

Bank of Montreal Building photo by Jane Mitchell

Photo: Jane Mitchell

Bank of Montreal Building photo by Christian

Photo: Christian

Bank of Montreal Building photo by Steven de Sousa

Photo: Steven de Sousa

Golden Square Mile (Downtown)

Wealth beyond belief Atwater St east to Peel St
(René-Lévesque north to Mount Royal)
Montreal, QC H3G 1J5
Canada
http://www.goldensquaremile.com This district was once the wealthiest neighbourhood in Canada. It is estimated that the few hundred families in the district held an astonishing 70 percent of the entire country's wealth! Massive homes such as Ravenscrag—a 60-room mansion on des Pins Avenue West—were typical. You can still catch glimpses of this grandeur, where upscale apartment buildings, boutiques, restaurants, art galleries and museums have replaced many former residences, especially north of Sherbrooke.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Mount Royal Park

Mount Royal Park Côte-des-Neiges Road East to Parc Avenue
(des Pins Ave north to Voie Camillien-Houde)
Montreal, QC H3H 1A2
Canada
+1 514 843 8240
http://www.lemontroyal.qc.ca/ Frederick Law Olmsted, of Central Park fame, designed this park in 1876. It is easy to forget that you are in the middle of a huge metropolis when walking or cross-country skiing on the park's many well-signposted trails: chief downtown access points are from Parc Jeanne-Mance (Parc Ave northwest of Ave des Pins), and at Ave des Pins and Drummond St, just west of Royal Victoria Hospital. Beaver Lake features skating, tobogganing, and even a small ski hill and chairlift, while Mount Royal Cemetery is one of the continent's largest.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Steve Drolet
Photo: B. Maniymaran
Photo: judo_dad1953
Photo: parameters75
Photo: parameters75
Photo: Tom Nguyen
Photo: Marc Whitburn
Photo: Harri J

Photo: Suzanne Lachapelle-M
Photo: Valdir Melo
Photo: ciprian.chiru
Photo: greg_guarino
Photo: Sam Bohl
Photo: Mira Mui
Photo: acidbearboy
Photo: David Smith

Photo: Nikolaos Karabineris

Métro

Whisper quiet and lightning quick Throughout the city
Montreal, QC
Canada
+1 514 280 5100
http://www.stcum.qc.ca/ Montreal's Métro is clean, efficient, and, thanks to its rubber wheels, quiet. Four lines serve nearly every corner of the city, as well as a convenient stop on Île Ste-Hélène and one in Longueuil, on the South Shore. Platforms are labelled according to the final destination of the train. The cash fare is $2.50 and entitles you to one unlimited trip on the Métro and bus system. Weekly passes are available. Each station was designed by a different architect to reflect and enhance its particular neighbourhood.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: François Proulx
Photo: Nika Vee
Photo: François Proulx
Photo: Nika Vee
Photo: Frédérick Ranger

Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours Chapel

The sailor's church 400 St-Paul St E
(Near St-Denis)
Montreal, QC H2Y 1H4
Canada
+1 514 282 8670 Thanks to the "Our Lady of the Harbour" statue atop its dome, made famous by poet-songwriter Leonard Cohen, this chapel is known as "The Sailor's Church." Inside are original Édouard Meloche (1886) frescoes on wooden slats, and you can look out over the Old Port from an observation tower. The chapel underwent extensive renovations as well as archaeological excavation. The new interpretation centre includes artifacts pre-dating the arrival of the New France colonists in 1642. Admission to the chapel is free.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Paul Villafuerte
Photo: laurenb photography
Photo: Paul Tessier
Photo: RadarVest
Photo: Richard Sassaman
Photo: José A.Segura

Old Montreal

Stepping into history St-Antoine St south to the St Lawrence River
(Bleury St east to St-Denis St)
Montreal, QC H2Y 3B2
Canada
http://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca The historic city centre is rich in museums, shops, restaurants and grey stone architecture spread out along narrow, cobblestone streets. It is also home to the Vieux Port attractions and lively public squares like Place Jacques-Cartier. Exploring Old Montreal means exploring the very heart of one of North America's greatest cities, a multi-faceted place where the past and the present come together in exciting and unexpected ways. Major attractions include City Hall (275 Notre-Dame St E), and the Old Customs House (400 Place d'Youville, featured in the film The Score).

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Nevin Giesbrecht
Photo: Fergus Sullivan
Photo: Todd Mundt
Photo: Julian Ridi
Photo: athena wu
Photo: Anthony Saburro
Photo: Amanda McCormick
Photo: Powderruns

Photo: Jean-Marc Boivin
Photo: David
Photo: Christy Fraser
Photo: Kristy Newstrom
Photo: ALAIN ROBILLARD
Photo: Rob
Photo: Roxane Velozo
Photo: Kristy Newstrom

Photo: David Reid
Photo: The Angelas
Photo: WesG
Photo: Tony Rafter
Photo: TheGiantVermin
Photo: francisco sottolichio
Photo: arcane
Photo: Stalwart

Saint-Sulpice Seminary

Montreal's oldest building 130 Notre-Dame St W
(Near St François-Xavier)
Montreal, QC H2Y 1T1
Canada
http://www.old.montreal.qc.ca The oldest existing building in the city of Montreal, erected between 1684 and 1687, this seminary stands as a testament to the Sulpician nuns, under whose stewardship the fledgling province of Quebec developed. Designed by François Dollier de Casson, salient features include the fieldstone walls, lush gardens and the oldest church clock on the continent, itself a striking piece of work. The building is a sober piece of work, more an artifact of colonial pragmatism than a religious monument.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Sue Shadoff
Photo: Eric Constantineau
Photo: carol
Photo: readontheroad
Photo: Joshua Hindmon

Other Schmapplets in this city related to "Montreal - Historical Background"
Montreal
Montreal - Neighborhood Guide
Montreal - Where to Stay
Montreal - Dining & Drinking
Montreal - Art & Entertainment
Other nearby cities:
Ottawa (167 miles)
Boston (395 miles)
Toronto (508 miles)
Buffalo (511 miles)
Niagara Falls (520 miles)
New York (535 miles)
Philadelphia (626 miles)
Baltimore (733 miles)
Washington DC (788 miles)
Detroit (841 miles)

Schmap.com
About
News & Reviews
Travel Store
Privacy
Terms of Use
Contact Us
© 2008 Schmap, Inc. All rights reserved.